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Robert Tomlinson begins the work of bringing in this year's crop

Growers in the Rhubarb Triangle around Bradford, Wakefield and Leeds, have begun harvesting the first crop of the year.

Hopes are high crops will be back to normal following one of the bleakest years in 2007, after soaring temperatures the previous summer damaged the rhubarb roots and stunted growth.

Demand for forced rhubarb is growing as it is recognised as a healthy food and has been endorsed by TV chefs including Rick Stein and Yorkshire-born James Martin.

Leeds-born Marco Pierre White is also due to feature the food and its producers in a new ITV programme.

David Tomlinson, whose family run B. Tomlinson & Son in Roker Lane, Pudsey, said the signs were that rhubarb yields would be more like normal than last year.

He said: "We usually produce about 20 tons of forced rhubarb during the season and I'm hoping we'll reach that level again this season after an autumn and winter period that's been more normal.

Mr Tomlinson, whose family has grown rhubarb for 100 years, supplies the Bradford wholesale fruit and vegetable market in Exeter Street as well as other local wholesale outlets.

Meanwhile, the Yorkshire rhubarb growers are keeping a close watch on the progress in the European Union of their bid to gain protected regional status for their product.

They want it to be officially designated as "traditionally grown Yorkshire indoor rhubarb."

This would put it alongside similarly protected regional foods including Jersey Royal potatoes, Cornish clotted cream, Italian Parma ham and Arbroath smokies (kippers).

Janet Oldroyd Hulme, of E. Oldroyd and Sons Ltd, Rothwell, has spearheaded the campaign for protected status.

She said: "We are waiting patiently for the process to complete and are hopeful that forced rhubarb will be officially recognised and given protected status by the EU."

Richard Corbett MEP, who has supported the growers' campaign, said: "The Yorkshire rhubarb application is already in the hands of the European Commission who have a year to consider the case.

"Should it be approved then the next stage is six-month period for objections to come in from other rhubarb growers across Europe.

"The area between Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield was once responsible for more than 90 per cent of the world's rhubarb and renowned for its forced growth in the dark and its subsequent sweeter, longer stalks.

"The area once provided 90 per cent of the world's rhubarb and fully deserves to be recognised with protected regional status."

Mr Corbett said he was hopeful Yorkshire forced rhubarb would claim its place alongside champagne and Parma ham.

Before the Second World War there were around 200 growers but only 12 remain and all of them are in West Yorkshire, where growing has gone on since 1877.

1:39am Thursday 10th January 2008

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